Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-12-23
A TERRIBLE FLOOD,
ONE OF THE MOST APPALLING HOR-
RORs OF RECENT TINES.

RORS OF RECENT TINES.
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 15.-The
steamship City of Sydney arrived
this afternoon from Hong Kong
and Yokohama. Chinese papers
give details of a disaster OCCASION
ed by the Yellow river overlooking
its banks in the Province of lI0nu.
and describe it as one Of the most
appalling occurrences ia loss OF life
and property occurring in recent
times. The river broke its banks
on the evening of September 2Sth
southwest OF the city OF Ching
Chow, aud not only completely
Inundated that city, but also ten
other pOpnlous cities. The whole
area is now
RAGING SEA,
ten to thirty feet deep, where it
was once a densely populated and
rich plain. The former bed of the
Yellow river is now dry, and the
present lake was the bed OF the
river centuries ago. The loss of
life is incalculable, and the state
ment is made by missionaries that
millions of Chinese are homeless
and starving.
Thomas Patton, one Of the Ameri-
can missionaries, writing from Honu
province, under dateo Of October 18th,
says:
"The newly gathered crops, houses
and trees are all swept away, in
volving a fearful loss of life. The
country was covered with a fine
winter braid, which is gone, and
implies a complete destruction TO
next years crop. "Bread, bread " is
the cry of thousands who are on the
river banks. Benevolent people go
in boats and throw bread among
the masses here and there, but it is
nothing compared with the require
ments. The mass of people is still
being increased by continual ar
rivals even more hungry and de-
jected, without a rag to wear or a
morsel of food. Mat huts are be-
ing erected for them. What it will
be in two months | cannot con-
ceive. The misery is increased,
owl TO the bitter cold weather"
CHINA's SORROW.
Yellow river has long been known
as China's sorrow, and the present
disaster has served TO re-assert it's
right to the terrible title. AS yet
details of the disaster are very
meagre. It has occurred in dis
trict where but few foreigners are,
and the report furnished by the Of
ficials and published in the Pekin
Gazette convey very Inadequate
account of the extent Of the loss OF
life and property and the suferings
of the survivors.
The Governor In H0nu reports to
the Throne that "nearly all the peo-
pie have been drowned IN the dis
trict reached by the water, the sur
vIyors being those who escaped to
the high ground or took refuge in
trees, where they remained until
they were rescued.
THE EXTENT OF THE DISASTER.
This gives bnt little impression
as to what the extent of the disas
ter really is. The Chinese Times
in the province Of Chihill, where
disastrous foundations have also
occurred, says there are 2IO,OOC
people homeless, representing those
whose lives were destroyed, and
adds that the misery in that prov
ince is tnfing as compared with
that caused by Huango Ho, or the
Yellow river. The extent of ground
swept over by the flood, given III
English figures, IS over seven thou
sand square miles, and the land
thus submerged formed a part o.
one of the richest and most denselN
populated plains of Northern China
The necessity for liberal aid may
therefore be imaged. Already con
siderable sums have been contrib
uted toward relieving the sufferers
The Emperor of China has glver
100000 of taels, and the Chinese
have started subscription lists IL
Shanghai, to which foreigners have
literally contributed.
| MILLIONS HAVE BEEN RENDERED
HOMELESS
and entirely deprived of all chances
of earning their livelihood, for thell
fields will either become permanent
lakes or uninhabitable swamps. II
is feared that the distress which
will he felt during the coming win
ter will equal in intensity the fam
inc Of ten years ago, when charlta
BILE donations, contributed from al
parts of the world, we're utterly in
adequate. 1t is stated that owing
to the action taken by the yellow
river, it no longer flows toward the
sea, but seems content in convert
ing Eastern Honu and Northern
Nganwhui into a lake. 1t may ultl'
mately flow into the sea through
the Kiangon, or it may even posi-
bly, join the Yangteze.